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3 Ways To Celebrate America Recycles Day (Besides Recycling)

Since 1997, communities across the country have come together on November 15 to celebrate America Recycles Day. More than a celebration, America Recycles Day is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to the promotion of recycling programs in the United States.

There are endless debates about whether recycling uses more or less energy than creating products from virgin materials, or whether we really have plenty of landfill space to keep burying the undesirable evidence of our wasteful lifestyles underground, and these debates aren’t going to be put to rest today.

However, recycling remains one of the easiest, affordable, and effective ways for ordinary people to make a responsible change in their lives. It’s very powerful to see the amount of garbage shrink instantly when you start to recycle. It’s tangible evidence that people can reduce their impact on their earth.

So this America Recycles Day, think about celebrating in the following ways:

1. Freecycle or donate something instead of throwing it away or recycling it. Many people forget that recycling is the last of the three R’s. Reducing and reusing comes first. Sometimes the best way to recycle is to avoid doing it at all.

2. Ask a business that you frequent to start recycling. If your favorite bar is tossing all those glass bottles and aluminum cans into the trash, ask them to stop. If your hair salon simply dumps its old newspapers and magazines into the wastebaskets, offer to take them home and recycle them. (Here are some talking points to get you started).

3. Eliminate something disposable from your life. Whether it’s plastic bags, or coffee cups, there are hundreds of ways to replace disposable items with reusable alternatives. Doing this reduces waste and prevents you from having to scour retailers for a recyclable version.

You can also take the America Recycles Day pledge, and help spread awareness by supporting the cause on Facebook.